The 23 most beautiful iPhone photos of the year

Jesse Alkire from Chicago came first in the News/Events category. Jesse Alkire You don't need fancy camera equipment to take captivating photographs.

The winners of the 8th annual iPhone Photography Awards (IPPAWARDS) submitted images taken using just their iPhone, iPod or iPad camera, and could only use an iOS app to edit it.

This year, thousands of photographers from 120 different countries took part, and judges eventually whittled the entries down to three photographers of the year, winners in 19 different categories, and an "others" category.

1/

Photographer of the Year (1st Place): Michal Koralewski of Kozieglowy, Poland.

Michal Koralewski

2/

Photographer of the Year (2nd Place): David Craik of Surrey, UK

David Craik

3/

Photographer of the Year (3rd Place): Yvonne Lu from New York.

Yvonne Lu

4/

Best Abstract Photo: Ben Schuyler from Seattle.

Ben Schuyler

5/

Best Animal Photo: Sephi Bergerson from Goa, India.

Sephi Bergerson

6/

Best Architecture Photo: Christian Frank from Stuttgart Germany.

Christian Frank

7/

Best Photo of Children: Jeremy Kern from Washington DC.

Jeremy Kern

8/

Best Photo of Flowers: Amy Paterson from Cape Town, South Africa.

Amy Paterson

9/

Best Photo of Food: Xu Lin from Qing Dao City, China.

Xu Lin

10/

Best Landscape Photo: Chris Belcina of Cooper City, Florida.

Chris Belcina

11/

Best Lifestyle Photo: Fabio Alvarez of Pichincha, Ecuador.

Fabio Alvarez

12/

Best Nature Photo: Yvonne Naughton of La Conner, Washington.

Yvonne Naughton

13/

Best Photo of News or Events: Jesse Alkire from Chicago.

Jesse Alkire

14/

Best Panorama Photo: Andre Malerba of Woodstock, Vermont

Andre Malerba

15/

Best Photo of People: Song Han from Chengdu, China.

Song Han

16/

Best Portrait: Daniele Colombera, Los Angeles, California.

Daniele Columbera

17/

Best Photo of Seasons: Heather Goss of Grand Haven, Michigan.

Heather Goss

18/

Best Still Life Photo: Cindy Buske from Lynwood, Washington.

Cindy Buske

19/

Best Sunset Photo: Robert Radesic from Pula, Croatia.

Robert Radesic

20/

Best Travel Photo: Ahmed Saaed from Cairo, Egypt.

Ahmed Saaed

21/

Best Photo of Trees: Ruairidh McGlynn of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Ruairidh McGlynn

22/

Best Photo in the "Others" Category: Jose Luis Saes Martinez of Valencia, Spain.

Jose Luis Saes Martinez

23/

Now see:

"I saw a guy I knew with a 70-200 lens. I asked him if I could borrow the lens, and all I had to do was press the button," Sony World Photography Award Winner Jaime Massieu said.
Jamie Massie courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards